Sandra McLellan
Question:45. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he intends to reduce the annual salary paid to Deputies, Senators and Ministers. [51544/12]
View answerWednesday, 21 November 2012
Questions (45)
Written answers
The Government decided on taking office in March 2011 to reduce the salaries of An Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Ministers with immediate effect. The reductions were implemented by all relevant Officeholders on a voluntary basis pending the passage of the necessary legislation giving statutory effect to the reductions. Section 6 (c) of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Act, 2011 provides the legislative basis for the pay reductions from 1 January 2012.
The gross annual salaries now applicable to An Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Ministers amount to €200,000, €184,405 and €169,275, respectively. The gross salaries indicated are inclusive of the pay element for a Deputy amounting to €92,672.
The effect of these reductions is that the gross annual salary of An Taoiseach has been reduced by nearly 30% since December 2009, and that of the Tánaiste and Ministers by nearly 25% from December 2009.
The salary of a TD is linked to the normal maximum of the Principal Officer standard scale, the Senator rate of pay is set at 70% of the TD rate. They were reduced in line with the reductions applied to all public servants in 2009 and 2010. The link to the Principal Officer was recommended by the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector, in its Report No 38, and accepted by the then Government. I have no current proposals to alter that arrangement.
Question No. 46 answered with Question No. 9.